Closure device



April 1, 1952 3 sEpEsY 2,591,207

CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1949 l/ 60 Fig.8.

Bernard 6. .Sepesy INVENTOR.

Fig.7. WW

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT orrice CLOSURE DEVICE Bernard 0. Sepesy, 'Streator, Iii.

Application September 6, 1949, Serial No. 114,167

6 Glaims.

This invention relates to receptacle closures, and more particularly to a closure especially adapted for use upon collapsible tubes and the like which are widely used as containers for tooth-paste, shaving cream, and other like substances. Additionally the invention relates to similar closures for bottles or other small containers.

An object of the invention is to provide a closure device that has an aperture therein which will permit exit of the contents of the container without tending to smear the contents unsuitably upon the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container that has the hemispherical body forming one part of the previously mentioned closure device made integral therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure having a seal contained therein which will overlie the aperture therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel wedge-like engaging means which will permit the closure to be adapted for quick opening, selective positioning, and locked sealing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a closure device that is unusual in its operation, interesting and attractive to the user, simple and cheap to manufacture, and which may be made out of a variety of divergent or similar materials.

These, together with various additional objeots which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this device, several preferred embodiments of which have been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View of a preferred embodiment of the closure device;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the invention, showing the device in a closed position;

Figure 3 is another vertical elevational view, showing the closure device in an open position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing in greater detail the wedge-like locking mechanism of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional View, taken along line 5-5 in. Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of another preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure '7 is a third embodiment of the invention shown in vertical sectional View; and

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of a iorin of locking mechanism.

With continued reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals designate 2 similar parts throughout the various views, a metal tube or other similar container is generally designated by reference numeral H1. The upper extremities of the container iii are threaded as at I2.

A closure device consisting of a hollow, spherical body 14 and a semi hemispherical cap it rotatably attached to the body it is secured to the container ii The body Hi internally threaded at its open end H3 in such manner that the end it is adapted to threadedly engage the container at its threaded end i2. An aperture 255 preferably circular in shape forming tapering walls 22 extends through the body it and opens into one semi-hemisphere thereof. The body it is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed grooves generally designated by reference numeral 2d and comprising a first recess 25 of a given thickness and having its walls defined by a predetermined outer radius of curvature. A second recess 2% of the same thickness but having its outer wall. defined by a smaller radius of curvature is in communication with the recess 2%. At the location where the recess 23 and the recess 28 join a pair of shoulders 33 and 32 are produced. These shoulders are rounded and otherwise smoothed ofi. An additional recess 54 is provided in the outer wall of the groove 28. A rider lug 36 formed by the inner wall of the recesses has one end 38 beveled.

The cap 16 is provided with various ridges 45, or other grip surfaces of an ornamental design, on the outer surface thereof. The inner surface of the cap !6 has attached thereto a seal 42. When the top is in closed position, the seal 42 is adapted to entirely encompass the aperture 20. The cap I6 is provided on its inner surface with a pair of oppositely disposed inwardly projecting arcuate eccentric lugs 44 having its inner and outer diameters differing from the diameters of either the inner walls or outer walls of either recess 26 or 28. These lugs M are adapted to be inserted within the groove 24. The lugs are provided with detents 5i! and 52 which are adapted to engage with the irregularities in the groove 24.

The cap is made separately from the body I4 and is secured on the body by being pressed onto it until the lugs 44 are engaged within the groove 24. To open the container so that the contents of the container it may be emptied as desired, the cap is merely rotated by pressure with the thumb or other finger of the hand to the position as shown in Figure 3. The detent 551 is engaged by the shoulder 32 while the detent 52 is in wedge-like engagement with the outer wall of this position positively engages the recess 34 within the groove 28. The detent 5i! enters the enlarged portion of the groove 28 formed by the beveled surface 38 of the rider lug 36. It can be readily seen that due to the difference in diameters of the lug and the recesses in addition to the action of the detents, the lugs 44 will maintain the cap in any desired position upon the body l4. When the cap is in closed position the contents of the tube can contact only the seal 42 which is adapted to protect the contents thereof.

Referring now to Figure 6, a modified form of body 60 is provided. The cap 62 is of similar de sign to that of the species of the closure device shown in Figures 1 through 5 and 8. The body 60 has a cylindrical threaded hollow portion 64 therein, in communication with an aperture 66. The cylindrical hollow threaded portion 64 is adapted to be engaged by the extending threaded portion 68 of a container having an opening H3 in communication with the aperture 66.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 7 an additional modification of the body portion is shown. The body 80 is formed with an annular aperture 82 therethrough which communicates with a hollow cylindrical portion 84 secured to the body 80. The cylindrical portion 8 3 is adapted to plug a. bottle or the like. The cap 36 is similar to the cap 96 of the other species of this invention.

The hemispherical body of the closure device may be readily made integral with the container. The semi-hemispherical cap may then be positioned on the hemispherical body. It is especially advantageous for certain applications to make the hemispherical body part of the container proper, and such may be applied to collapsible tubes, plastic and glass bottles, and other such receptacles.

It is realized that while several preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, numerous other modifications will readily become apparent toanyone skilled in the art. Therefore, it is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments shown and described herein but the invention should be determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

l. A closure device comprising a hollow internally threaded hemispherical body having an aperture extending therethrough in one semihemisphere thereof; said body having a pair of semi-circular oppositely disposed grooves on the other surface thereof, a hollow semi-hemispherical cap having oppositely disposed, inwardly projecting arcuate lugs eccentrically positioned in said grooves, said grooves comprising afirst recess of one radius of curvature in communication with a second recess of a differing radius of curvature.

2. A closure device comprising a hollow internally threaded hemispherical body having an aperture extending therethrough in one semihemisphere thereof, said body having a pair of semi-circular oppositely disposed grooves on the other surface thereof, a hollow semi-hemispherical cap having oppositely disposed, inwardly projecting arcuate lugs eccentrically positioned in wha is said grooves, said grooves including a first recess of one radius of curvature in communication with a second recess of a different radius of curvature, said lugs having locking detents thereon, and said lugs being of a, different radius of curvature than either of said recesses.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein there are shoulders projecting into said grooves for engagement with said detents when the lugs are in preselected positions.

4. A closure device comprising a body portion, said body portion having a hollow cylindrical portion secured to a hemispherical portion having an aperture opening into one semi-hemisphere thereof in communication with said hollow cylindrical portion, said body having a pair of semicircular, oppositely disposed grooves on the outer surface thereof, a hollow semi-hemispherical cap having oppositely disposed, inwardly projecting arcuate lugs 'eccentrically positioned in said grooves, said grooves including a first recess of one radius of curvature in communication with a second recess of a difiering radius of curvature.

5. A closure device comprising a body portion, said body portion having a hollow cylindrical portion secured to a hemispherical portion having an aperture opening into one semi-hemisphere thereof in communication with said hollow cylindrical portion, said body having a pair of semicircular oppositely disposed grooves on the other surface thereof, a hollow semi-hemispherical cap having oppositely disposed, inwardly projecting arcuate lugs eccentrically positioned in said grooves, said grooves including a first recess of one radius of curvature in communication with a second recess of a different radius of curvature, and said lugs being of a different radius of curvature than either of said recesses.

6. A closure device comprising a body portion, said body portion having a hollow cylindrical portion secured to a hemispherical portion having an aperture opening into one semi-hemisphere thereof in communication with said hollow cylindrical portion, said body having a pair of semicircular oppositely disposed grooves onthe other surface thereof, a hollow semi-hemispherical cap having oppositely disposed, inwardly projecting arcuate lugs eccentrically positioned in said grooves, said grooves including a first recess of one radius of curvature in communication with a second recess of a different radius of curvature, said lugs being of a different radius of curvature than either of said recesses, and shoulders projecting into said grooves for engagement with said recesses when the lugs are in preselected positions.

BERJNARD C. SEPESY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 354,106 Dorwart Dec. 14, 1886 1,630,222 Simpson May 24, 1927 2,025,188 Wilson Dec. 24, 1935 2,131,079 Thorn 1 Sept. 27, 1938 2,286,916 Loomis l June 16, 1942 2,330,939 Wilson Oct. 5, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 511,400 Great Britain Aug. 1'7, 1939 

